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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22661791">There's Still Cobwebs In The Corners</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Memories_of_the_Shadows/pseuds/Memories_of_the_Shadows'>Memories_of_the_Shadows</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Feels, Developing Relationship, Friendship/Love, Hair Dyeing, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Therapy, M/M, relationships take work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 15:29:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,331</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22661791</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Memories_of_the_Shadows/pseuds/Memories_of_the_Shadows</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Because relationships take work, and patience, and sometimes a village.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anders/Fenris (Dragon Age)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>There's Still Cobwebs In The Corners</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title comes from "Curses" by The Crane Wives.</p><p>I do not consent to my work being hosted on any unofficial apps, especially any with ad revenue and subscription services, or any website other than ao3 unless I personally cross-posted a work.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s the disgusted “Ugh” that wakes him, as well as the clatter coming from his bathroom.  Anders doesn’t usually have anyone over--not since Karl, which was longer than he wants to think about--but he and Fenris are--  were--  no, <i>are</i>, fucking doesn’t change anything look at Isabela, although it’s been long enough that maybe <i>fucking</i> isn’t the only thing that applies even if they haven’t put a label on it yet--friends, so having him in his small space isn’t as hard as Anders has thought it would be.</p><p>(And who would have thought they would get here?  From being on opposite sides of a protest that ends in a fist fight, to tolerating each other for Marian’s sake, to actually managing to <i>talk</i>--although Varric and Aveline had to step in and mediate, so embarrassing but it wouldn’t have happened if they didn’t help and Anders can only imagine where they would be then--to what is maybe a good relationship in the making.  It’s been good so far.  Better than any of his other ones.  His ex-professor who dumped him mid-med degree is the only one who even comes close.)</p><p>Anders wanders over, yawning and stretching the pleasant reminders of last night away.  Fenris is shirtless and glaring into the mirror, fussing with his hair.  Anders hugs him from behind, nuzzling blearily into Fenris’ neck.</p><p>“<i>Ugh</i>,” Fenris repeats, elbowing him in the side.  Anders flicks a perfunctory look at the mirror and goes back to Fenris’ neck.</p><p>“You look fine to me,” Anders says, and it’s true.  Even bundled up like he’s been the past week, never taking off his hat unless in bed, Fenris is always <i>fine</i>.  Like art or wine.</p><p>It kind of makes him want to goad Fenris into pinning him to the bed again.</p><p>“I….  My roots are coming in,” he says after a long pause.  Anders stares at him in the mirror until Fenris shifts uncomfortably in his arms and glares at the floor.</p><p>“…<i>Where</i>?”  Anders doesn’t ask his first question--which was ‘you have roots?’; because Fenris has had white hair for as long as he’s known him and he’s just accepted it as a fact of life now--and he is very proud of his restraint.</p><p>“Where do you think roots <i>are</i>, idiot?” Fenris says, tone biting but he’s still stiff and glaring at the floor.  Anders strokes Fenris’ arm and ignores it with long practice and a deep breath for patience, just like Merrill suggested.  He doesn’t always agree with all her hippy bullshit but some of her suggestions really work.  Herbal remedies and crystals?  <i>Please</i>, Anders is a <i>doctor</i>.</p><p>Instead of looking at the mirror again Anders turns and noses the back of Fenris’ head.  He smells good.  He <i>always</i> smells good.  It’s a little unfair.  It takes a second--he might be a little distracted--but he finally sees it.</p><p>He stares.  Fenris grumbles unkind things about Anders’ parentage that Anders mostly agrees with under his breath.</p><p>“Oh, <i>Maker</i>, you’re a redhead?”  That’s… really unexpected but strangely hot.  He tries to picture it and comes up empty.  Anders’ll keep trying though, maybe have a good wank while he’s at it.</p><p>“So are you,” Fenris says, and shoves him.  Anders lets go--they’ve come a long way, but Fenris isn’t always the best with touch, he has reason to be even if his tattoos cover up the physical scars now--but he doesn’t back down.</p><p>“Yep.  Redhead’s suck,” he says, grinning and licking his lips, eyebrows waggling.  It’s his best pickup line.</p><p>Fenris just raises his own eyebrow, smirking.  “Do you, now?”</p><p>Anders feels hot and tight all over, damn the man.  He knows <i>exactly</i> what that smirk does to his insides.  “If you want,” he says.  It comes out on a croak.</p><p>They stare into each other's eyes for a long time, and Anders almost just sinks to his knees, he’s that ready.  But Fenris eventually just smiles, small and fond, blushes lightly, and looks away.</p><p>“Maybe later,” he says to the wall.  “Sorry I didn’t tell you before, Anders.”</p><p>He’s a little disappointed--Fenris’ cock is gorgeous and Anders could worship it all day--but this isn’t the first time they’ve run into an obstacle in their relationship and it won’t be the last.  Next time it might even be his hang-ups they stumble over, even though Anders has had longer to come to terms with his triggers and his therapy sessions with Varric’s friend, Cole--he’s really young, but better than he had thought at first sight--actually <i>have</i> been helping, even though they’ve just been over the phone.</p><p>(Both of them are products of broken homes and hard lives.  Anders stopped comparing them a long time ago, it just made it harder to forgive their differences.  Varric was right when he said that pain wasn’t a race and no one was a winner in that kind of race anyway.  Fenris’ long, abusive relationship with Danarius that nearly killed him and tore his family apart is different to Anders’ bashing and rape in boot camp that derailed him finally getting his life together for a time after a series of neglectful foster homes.  What’s important is that they continue to support each other.  It’s easier with friends.  Marian calls them the couple that took a village.  She’s only mostly joking.)</p><p>“I still can’t picture you with red hair.  The white suits you better,” he says instead, winking.  When in doubt, flirt.  Justice had always hated that phrase, that instinct, his bunk mate not having much of a sense of humor, but he’d been glad when Anders had finished his degree and residency courtesy of the Grey Warden division’s guilty conscience, settled into life with his friends here, and started doing it again on the phone with him.  And pretty much everywhere else, too.  He’d always blamed himself for not coming back sooner.  Anders didn’t, he’d survived, and now his life is pretty damn good.  Fenris smiles, and Anders can only smile helplessly back.</p><p>“Venhedis, how in the Void did you ever pick up anyone?”  Fenris is laughing though, so the words don’t really sting.  He sends him his most charming grin.</p><p>“I’m sexy as fuck and you know it,” Anders laughs back, striking a pose that has Fenris howling until he chokes for air, and gets him an armful of Fenris when he’s able to breathe again.</p><p>They stand there for a while, long enough that Anders starts to doze off, warm and comfortable cuddled against Fenris.  He can sleep anywhere.  Boot camp and his little free clinic that is always far busier than he thinks should be the case in any first world country have made sure of it.  Anders won’t let go of Fenris if he doesn’t want him to now that he has him.</p><p>“My sister has red hair,” Fenris says lowly, right into Ander’s chest scar.  “She still doesn’t think Danarius did anything wrong, she thinks I lied to get attention.”</p><p>Anders reaches up and strokes Fenris’ back--noting how tight and knotted it is, he’ll have to convince him that a patented Anders massage is the best kind of foreplay sometime soon--and hums into Fenris’ hair, nosing at the very slightly pink roots.</p><p>“When’s your next hair appointment?  I’ll tag along if you want,” he says drowsily.  He doesn’t acknowledge what Fenris said but he won’t forget it either.  Both of them are very bad at being vulnerable but they’ll make it work.  With a lot of help.</p><p>“Yeah, okay.  Bring one of your books.  It’ll be boring.”</p><p>“Hmm, maybe,” he says.  Personally, Anders thinks that it’ll be cute as fuck.  But he doesn’t really want to give Fenris the excuse to delete his cat pictures again--they’re backed up to the cloud but that’s hardly the point--so he just kisses those roots and squeezes tight.</p><p>It’s worth everything it took to get here when Fenris squeezes back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The protest referenced was against the death penalty.  Anders wants it abolished, Fenris thinks the world is better off without some people.  They’ve since learned to disagree more constructively on it.  I will not reveal my opinion on the death penalty and have no interest in moderating a discourse about it.  Do not ask me or bring it up.</p><p>This was basically dreamed up fully formed out of Fenders feels, as well as my headcanon that Fenris is a red-head.  I hope you like it!  If you'd like, come visit me on <a href="https://sachinighte.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a>!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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